Intelligent Coalitions: Design & Social Impact

Intelligent Coalitions: Design & Social Impact

In February 2012, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, the Lemelson Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts brought together designers, planners, inventors, and funders from Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas working in the public, private, and social sectors for the Social Impact Design Summit—a one-day participatory event to discuss strategies and actions to advance the field of socially responsible design.

To coincide with the publication of a white paper outlining the summit's findings, the evening will focus on progress and developments in the field of social impact design over the intervening months. Moderated by Cynthia E. Smith, Cooper-Hewitt's Curator of Socially Responsible Design, panelists will discuss the white paper's recommendations and proposals for how best to move forward and develop this burgeoning field. Join panelists, including Mariana Amatullo (Designmatters–Art Center College of Design), Bryan Bell (Social Economic Environmental Design–SEED Evaluator), Krista Donaldson (D-Rev), and Ezio Manzini (Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability–DESIS Network), in a discussion about what is new and what is next for this growing area of design.

The Social Impact Design Summit and Design and Social Impact: A cross-sectoral agenda for design education, research, and practice were made possible by the Lemelson Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Surdna Foundation, and The Rockefeller Foundation.